Commenting on performance against the March 2009 targets, the Minister said that most of targets had been achieved or substantially achieved and significant improvements had been made in many areas.
Performance against targets for outpatient assessment and for surgery was generally strong with the majority of patients now receiving their outpatient appointment within a maximum of nine weeks and surgery within a maximum of 13 weeks. There were also significant improvements in waiting times for cancer treatment, and for physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and other services provided by Allied Health Professionals.
Although performance has generally been strong, there were a number of breaches of the year-end performance targets, and the Minister has restated the need for further improvement.
The Minister said: “I know staff at every level have made considerable efforts and they must be congratulated. The improvement in performance in recent years has been remarkable. Only two years ago, there were 110,000 people waiting more than 13 weeks for a first outpatient appointment. Today the majority of people do not have to wait any longer than 9 weeks. This is a major achievement and should be recognised.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service performed particularly well, exceeding the regional target of responding to 74% of Category A (life threatening) calls within eight minutes in March 2009 against a target of 70%.
The Minister said: “I am also delighted with the improvement in response times secured by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service. It is clear from this performance that the public can be assured that they have access to the high quality, life-saving emergency care they expect.
Other areas of service which saw significant improvement include mental health services with 93 long stay patients being resettled from hospitals to the community against a target of 30. In addition, 77 long stay learning disabled patients were resettled back into the community by March 2009 against a target of 60. There was also a strong performance for mental health patients accessing treatment with only a handful of people waiting longer than the target of 13 weeks from referral to treatment.
The Minister said: “Performances in achieving the targets for the resettlement of long-stay mental health and learning disability patients should be recognised. This will undoubtedly lead to a better quality of life for all those who are now living as independently as possible in the community.”
The Minister continued: “The consistent performance of Trusts in relation to Allied Health Professional services is very encouraging. The target for the end of March 2008 was that no patient should wait longer than 26 weeks. This has now reduced to 13 weeks, with only three people waiting beyond that time at the end of March 2009.”
Turning to breaches in performance the Minister said: “In some instances, patients are still waiting longer than they should and this is simply not acceptable. Trusts must redouble their efforts to secure further improvements in performance, ensuring that minimum standards of performance are achieved by all organisations across all services. It is particularly important that urgent improvements are delivered in A&E services. I have therefore asked the new Health and Social Care Board to work with Trusts to ensure this issue is given the highest priority.”
The Minister added: “The number of MRSA and C. diff infections has reduced in each of the last two years, although C. diff performance fell short of the target. I expect to see further significant improvements in this area going forward.”
The Minister concluded: “These targets and our focus on improving performance is leading to a better service for thousands of patients and clients. Our health service is performing well but there is more to be done. I am committed to putting patients first and to delivering a world class health service fit for the 21st century”
Notes to Editors:
1. Media queries to the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0575. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Office via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.
2. Target achievements at end of March 2009
- Outpatient – Target: 9 weeks for assessment
- At April 2008, 8,625 patients were waiting longer than 9 weeks for a first outpatient appointment. This was reduced to 488 by March 2009.
- Diagnostics – Target: 9 weeks for diagnostic test (eg MRI scan)
- At June 2008, 1,515 patients were waiting longer than 9 weeks for a diagnostic test. By March 2009 this was reduced to 86.
- Inpatient/daycase – Target: 13 weeks for treatment
- At April 2008, 7,481patients were waiting longer than 13 weeks for inpatient/daycase treatment. By March 2009 this was reduced to 387.
- Allied Health Professionals – Target: 13 weeks
- At April 2008, 2,457 patients were waiting over 13 weeks for AHP services. This had reduced to 3 by March 2009.
- Healthcare associated infection: by March 2009 10% reduction in staphylococcus aureus blood stream infections (including MRSA) and a 20% reduction for clostridium difficile.
- MRSA (10% reduction): By March 2009, 194 episodes regionally against target of 222.
- MSSA (10% reduction): By March 2009, 348 episodes against a target of 309.
- C Diff (20% reduction): By March 2009, 926 episodes against a target of 811.
- A&E – Target: 95% of patients to be seen within four hours
- During March 2009, 83% of patients regionally were treated and discharged, or admitted within 4 hours of their arrival in A&E.
- Fractures – Target: 95% of fractures treated within 48 hours during March 2009
- In March 2008 74% of patients with fractures were treated within 48 hours across Northern Ireland. By March 2009, this figure had improved to 86%.
- Learning disability – Target: 60 patients to be resettled in the community by March 2009
- Regionally, 77 long-stay patients were resettled from learning disability hospitals by March 2009.
- Mental Health – Target: 30 patients to be resettled in the community by March 2009
- Regionally, 93 long stay patients were resettled to appropriate places in the community by the end of March 2009.
- Learning disability – Target: By March 2009 75% of patients admitted for assessment and treatment are discharged within 7 days of the decision to discharge
- During March 2009, 89% of learning disability patients admitted for assessment and treatment were discharged within 7 days of the decision to discharge.
- Mental Health – Target: By March 2009 75% of mental health patients admitted for assessment and treatment are discharged within 7 days of the decision to discharge
- During March 2009, 97% of mental health patients admitted for assessment and treatment were discharged within 7 days of the decision to discharge.
- Productivity – Target: each Trust is to achieve a 3% improvement in hospital productivity during each year of the CSR period
- Provisional data for 2008/09 indicates an overall improvement in productivity for the region as a whole of 6.7% compared to the 2006/07 baseline year.
- Northern Ireland Ambulance Service – Target: 70% of Category A calls within 8 minutes during March 2009
- In March 2009, NIAS responded to 74.2% of Category A calls within 8 minutes.
